Short but sweet note:
Just briefly, I wrote this story because I enjoy writing. I hope that others enjoy reading it.

Chapter 1

It was with surprise that Loki stepped foot into his old quarters. In truth, he had not been paying attention to where Thor had been leading them, too lost in his racing thoughts to notice or care. But now, when he stood in the entrance and observed that the place had been kept tidy and free of dust, he had to admit that he was more than a little startled.

Loki turned his head sharply, green eyes falling upon Thor.

Where is Odin? Why am I not being taken to the dungeons?

He wanted to ask, but the metal gag still bit into his mouth sharply, and he had to be careful with his movements lest he bring pain upon himself. Nor could he write his question down on parchment, for his wrists were still bound in chains.

Thor stopped, and looked at his brother quizzically, waiting for the question.

The trickster rolled his eyes in exasperation, and rattled his chains in an attempt to indicate his inability to communicate. The thunder-god flushed suddenly, realising his mistake, and moved to close the distance between them. Loki backed away abruptly. Thor stopped mid-stride, his brows furrowing in frustration.

"Brother, I am simply going to remove the gag".

The younger god narrowed his sharp eyes, and lifted his angled chin haughtily, as if considering the proposition. He did not stop Thor, however, when the older prince mistook his stillness for consent and step forward.

It hurt when Thor lifted the metal contraption off his face, despite the gentleness with which the Thunderer attempted to perform the task. Not the terrible, searing pain he'd endured under Thanos, but an unpleasant sensation nonetheless.

"I am not your brother", Loki spat out as soon as the gag was removed, reaching up to wipe the blood from his lips with his sleeve.

"Loki, -"

"Where is Odin?" he snarled, "Or does he deem me so very inconsequential that I am to simply be confined to my quarters, as if none of my actions were of any importance?"

"What? No- brother, you are being ridiculous! Father has never considered you irrelevant, despite what you presently seem to think of him." The trickster snorted but Thor ignored him and continued, raising his voice forcefully. "If you must know, I requested to bring you to your quarters so that I may converse with Father on your behalf prior to your judgement."

Loki stared at him. Then his face cracked into a maniacal smile. "What? You are going speak on my behalf?" he mocked. "Have my ears betrayed me? Have I finally descended into the depths of insanity?"The smile fell as suddenly as it had appeared. His voice turned menacing as he took a threatening step towards the crown prince, his manner one of a snake stalking its prey. "What words could you possibly speak that I would want uttered from your tongue on my behalf? You, the false sibling, who has always denied me everything and given me nothing in return. Who bound and gagged me in front of mortals. The idiot," and now he scoffed with derisive scorn, "who can barely string two coherent words together let alone form full sentences! You are more likely to talk me to my certain death than save me from the All-Father's punishment."

Thor stared at his brother in shock. "Loki, why do you say such hurtful things?" he stepped forward towards the younger prince, "what has happened to you that you must lash out so?"

Loki scowled. This was not going the way he had hoped. What he needed was for Thor to get angry. What he needed was to goad Thor into an argument, for Thor to shout, for Thor to leave. But the Thunder God was being so... considerate. Loki could feel his panic starting to rise. He'd managed to keep it under tight wraps for the last few days, but slowly it had built. They had kept him too long – Thor had dallied too long – on Midgard, in that blasted glass cell. And as the hours had ground by, the Trickster could feel The Other getting closer, the inextricable link that had been forcibly burned into his mind gradually becoming taut, as if someone was slowly scaling the rope, bringing with them the promise of things far worse than he wanted to lend consideration to.

He was running out of time.

"Do not touch me!" Loki snarled, jerking out of his not-brother's reach. "Perhaps I have always been this way, only you were too dull witted to see it! I am Jötunn, after all, the stuff of nightmares! Have you ever considered that I simply wanted to be true to my nature? Ruling the humans is what the Jötunns do. It's in my blood you ridiculous oaf! Do not think for an instant that this is the end of my plans for your pathetic Midgard, Thor," he snarled, "I will bring that whole wretched place to its very knees. I will bathe the soil in blood so deep that it will stain the seas, I will set the sky on fire just to hear those disgusting mortals scream as they gasp for breath, and then, when I am through, I will take your precious Avengers one by one, and carve their hearts from their bodies just to sate my pleasure."

The God of Chaos panted slightly from his tirade, and noticed smugly that Thor's knuckles had turned white around the handle of Mjölnir. He felt satisfied; at least he could still incite the Thunder God to anger. His amusement was cut short however, as Mjölnir unexpectedly made a rapid movement towards his head. The Trickster's eyes widened in shock as he promptly spun out of the path of the deadly projectile, ducking and bringing his arms up to protect himself as shards of marble exploded from the wall behind him and shattered down around his body. The hammer then made a sound like glass as it spun and flew back into its owner's outstretched hand.

"You will NOT speak such threats against the Midgardians again!" Thor roared, "For next time know that I WILL NOT MISS!" The golden prince turned abruptly on his heel and stormed towards the door. Suddenly he stopped and spun back to the stunned Trickster, arm outstretched, Mjölnir pointing at him threateningly. "And you will stay here," he thundered, "whilst I go and converse with Father." It was not a request.

Loki scowled as Thor turned and left the room.

Well, at least now he was alone.